At the end of every year, I write myself a letter. This year, I’m running behind on my self-imposed deadline of January 1st, partly because I got caught up re-reading old letters instead of writing a new one. In these letters, I reflect on various categories of my life—self, family, friends, love, creativity, and even finance. This year marks my seventh letter.
One of the most striking things about revisiting past letters is realizing how much of what I once wanted has become my reality. In my senior year of college, I wrote, “I am starting off the year with $1,080.88. Once I have a job, I want to start a retirement fund and a travel fund.” Mission accomplished. Five years ago, I wrote, “Give back to Oasis for Girls.” Now, I proudly sit on the Board. I dreamed of taking piano lessons again after stopping as a kid, and in 2024, I finally made that happen.
In 2021, the year I started at One Wealth Advisors, I wrote, “I want to gain so much knowledge in wealth management and financial planning that I can help friends, family, and my community.” I believe I’m on my way with that one 😉
I often think of my high school self—the girl who knew she wanted to move across the country to California but was so scared to take the leap. I remember those first few weeks of college in LA, when I was obsessed with the palm trees. As we grow, we adapt to the lives we once dreamed of, often without realizing it in the moment. It feels fulfilling to pause and listen to my younger self, who would have the biggest smile seeing how my life has turned out today.